Tape extracting unit

ABSTRACT

This invention provides a tape extracting unit having an excellent performance and a compact small structure, the tape extracting unit comprising: two pairs of first and second extracting roller units whose rotation velocities are capable of being adjusted separately; guide frame which is disposed between the first and second extracting roller units and forms an expanding space for storing a tape; and a sensor for detecting the storage condition of the tape within the guide frame electrically, wherein the tape pulled out of the roll body is stored within the expanding space of the guide frame as a storage tape to which no tension is applied; and the rotations of the first and second extracting roller units are controlled based on a detection signal of the sensor so as to be able to extract the storage tape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tape extracting unit applicable to a labeling machine, printing machine and the like, and more particularly to a tape extracting unit which extracts a tape continuously from a roll body which winds a variety of tapes made of paper, resin or the like cylindrically like a roll label.

2. Description of the Related Art

For example, in a roll label type labeling machine shown in FIG. 4, a roll-like roll label a is loaded on a table b and tape d is extracted and supplied continuously from the roll label a with an extraction force of an extracting roller c constituted of a pair of rollers.

When the tape d is extracted from the roll label a, it is difficult to extract the tape d such that the peripheral velocity of the roll label a always agrees with an extracting velocity of the tape d because of a change in the extracting velocity of the tape d or change in inertia accompanying reduction of the diameter of the roll label a.

If a difference occurs between the peripheral velocity of the roll label a and the extracting velocity of the tape d, breaking of the tape d or excessive feeding of the tape d is induced.

To avoid such phenomenon, conventionally, a tension adjusting unit comprising a plurality of idle type slide rollers is disposed between the table b and the extracting roller c.

The tape d is wound around the plurality of the slide rollers e which constitute the tension adjusting unit in a folding manner and the slide rollers e are slid corresponding to changes in tension of the tape d so as to relax the change of tension of the tape d.

A recent labeling machine includes two systems I, II for supplying the labels, so that just after supply of the tape d by the label supply system I is finished, the other label supply system II is activated so as to continue the supply of the tape d.

The above-described conventional tape tension adjusting technology has following problems.

(1) The conventional tension adjusting unit needs to be installed so that the slide roller e is allowed to slide about 1 m.

For the reason, a large space is required for the installation of the tension adjusting unit thereby leading to enlargement of the size of the machine.

Particularly, because as higher the operating speed of the labeling machine, the larger tension adjusting length of the tape d needs to be secured, the quantity of the slide rollers e installed in parallel of the tension adjusting machine and the amount of slide of the slide roller e need to be increased, so that a higher velocity machine requires a wider installation space.

(2) A labeling machine equipped with the two label supply systems I, II takes at least 10 and several minutes to change over the tape d.

The reason why it takes time to change over the tape d is that the conventional tension adjusting machine uses a moving resistance (spring force) of the slide roller e for adjustment of the tension of the tape d so that it takes time for the slide roller d to move resisting the spring force.

In the labeling machine equipped with the conventional tension adjusting machine, the supply line is required to be so long as to be able to accommodate a large amount of label affixing objects such as containers and the conventional tension adjusting machine results in a cause for enlargement of the entire machine and increase of manufacturing cost.

(3) Because as described above, the conventional tension adjusting means for the tape d utilizes the moving resistance (spring force) of the slide roller e, tension is always applied to the tape d wound around the slide rollers e. This tension increases in proportion to the supply speed of the tape d.

On the other hand, the supply velocity of the tape d cannot be increased without limitation from viewpoints of preventing a breaking of the tape d because the tape d has a limit in tensile strength, which is a significant obstacle to high-speed operation of the labeling machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been achieved in views of the above-described circumstances and an object of the invention is to provide a following tape extracting machine.

(1) To supply the tape smoothly without applying any tension to the tape with a simple structure

(2) To be structured in a compact size with a high performance

(3) To be constructed into a small structure including the tape extracting unit

(4) Machine loaded with the tape extracting unit, which can achieve acceleration of the operating velocity

(5) Machine loaded with plural tape supplying systems, which can reduce change-over time of the supply systems.

To achieve the above described object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided s tape extracting unit disposed at a position in the vicinity of a rotation table loaded with a roll body, comprising: two pairs of first and second extracting roller units whose rotation velocities are capable of being adjusted separately; guide frame which is disposed between the first and second extracting roller units and forms an expanding space for storing a tape; and a sensor for detecting the storage condition of the tape within the guide frame electrically, wherein the tape pulled out of the roll body is passed through the first extracting roller unit, guide frame and second extracting roller unit in succession and disposed; the tape to which no tension is applied is stored within the expanding space of the guide frame as a storage tape; and the rotations of the first and second extracting roller units are controlled based on a detection signal of the sensor so as to be able to extract the storage tape.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape extracting unit disposed at a position in the vicinity of a rotation table loaded with a roll body, comprising: two pairs of first and second extracting roller units whose rotation velocities are capable of being adjusted separately; an auxiliary feed conveyer which is disposed between the first and second extracting roller units and rotates in a single direction from the first extracting roller unit to the second extracting roller unit; guide frame which is disposed on the auxiliary feed conveyer and forms an expanding space for storing a tape; a sensor for detecting the storage condition of the tape within the guide frame electrically; and a control unit for controlling the rotations of the first and second extracting roller units separately based on a detection signal from the sensor, wherein the tape pulled out of the roll body is passed through the first extracting roller unit, guide frame on the auxiliary feed conveyer and second extracting roller unit in succession and disposed; and the control unit controls the rotations of the first and second extracting roller units separately based on a detection signal from the sensor so as to store a tape to which no tension is applied with the expanding space within the guide frame as a storage tape so that the storage tape is capable of being extracted.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the tape extracting unit according to the first aspect or the second aspect wherein the first extracting roller unit is disposed in the upstream of the guide frame while the second extracting roller unit is disposed in the downstream of the guide frame and increase/decrease of the rotation velocity of the first extracting roller unit is capable of being controlled with reference to the rotation velocity of the second extracting roller unit.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the tape extracting unit according to the first-third aspect wherein the tape to which no tension is applied is stored in irregular folding manner within the expanding space of the guide frame.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the tape extracting unit according to the first-fourth aspect wherein the roll body is a roll label.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the tape extracting unit according to the fifth aspect wherein the labeling machine includes two label supply systems.

The present invention exerts at least one of following advantages.

(1) According to the present invention, the tape does not need to be wound linearly around the slide rollers because no slide rollers do not need to be installed unlike conventional art and the expanding space within the compact guide frame can be used effectively as a space for storing the tape to which no tension is applied in a large quantity as the storage tape. Accordingly, the tape extracting unit can supply the tape smoothly without applying any tension to the tape with a simple structure.

(2) The present invention provides a simple structure in which the first extracting roller unit and the second extracting roller unit are disposed in the upstream and downstream of the guide frame and additionally the sensor is provided. Accordingly, the tape extracting unit can be constructed in a small compact structure and the tape to which no tension is applied can be stored in a large quantity thereby securing a high performance.

(3) Reduction in size and cost of the machine provided with the tape extracting unit can be achieved.

(4) The passage time taken for the storage tape stored within the guide frame to be carried from the first tape extracting roller unit to the second extracting roller unit can be extended. The longer the passage time between the first and second tape extracting roller units, the more roughly the rotation of the first tape extracting roller unit can be controlled, which is advantageous and very effective for intensifying the tape extracting velocity. Therefore, in the machine provided with the tape extracting unit of the present invention, acceleration of the operating velocity exceeding that of the conventional machine can be achieved.

(5) In the machine loaded with plural tape supplying systems, the change-over time of the supply systems can be reduced largely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the present invention or a partially broken perspective view of a tape extracting machine;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the tape extracting machine;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tape extracting machine; and

FIG. 4 is a model view of a labeling machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Construction

(1) Tape Body

Prior to describing the tape extracting unit of the present invention, the roll body 10 as a premise will be described. The roll body 10 is constituted by winding a tape 11 of a predetermined length around the outer periphery of a core tube or without any core. The tape 11 is a belt-like sheet formed of a variety of materials, such as a label sheet printed continuously preliminarily, a plain label sheet and tag label produced by affixing a label to a separation tape. The size and material of the roll body 10 include well known various rolls selected depending on application purpose.

(2) Outline of Tape Extracting Unit

FIGS. 1 to 3 show an example of the tape extracting unit of the present invention. The tape extracting unit stores a large amount of the tape 11 extracted from the roll body 10 in a sectioned space such that no tension is applied to the tape 11 while feeding the stored tape 11 in a condition in which no tension is applied thereto and is disposed at a position in the vicinity of a rotation table 12 loaded with the roll body 10.

The tape extracting unit comprises two pairs of extracting rollers 20, 30 each whose rotation velocity can be adjusted separately, an auxiliary feed conveyor which is disposed between the first and second extracting rollers 20, 30 and rotates in a single direction from the first extracting roller unit 20 to the second extracting unit 30, a fixed type guide frame 50 disposed above the auxiliary feed conveyer 40, a sensor 60 for detecting the storage condition of an extracted tape 11 electrically and a control unit 70 which controls rotations of motors 21, 31 separately which are drive sources of the first, second extracting roller units 20, 30 based on a detection signal of the sensor 60.

(3) Extracting Roller Unit

The first extracting roller unit 20 and the second extracting roller unit 30 are units which produce tape to which no tension is applied (hereinafter referred to as storage tape 13) within the sectioned guide frame 50 and comprise drive rollers 22, 32, idle rollers 23, 33 and motors 21, 31 for driving the drive rollers 22, 32.

The pairs of the rollers 22/23, 31/33 are disposed such that they can rotate around a perpendicular rotation shaft and their outer peripheral faces make contact with each other.

The motors 21, 31 are connected to the rotation shafts of the drive rollers 22, 32 rotatably through transmission mechanism such as a belt and gears.

If explaining the functions of the respective extracting roller units 20, 30, the first extracting roller unit 20 disposed in the upstream of the auxiliary feed conveyer 40 forms the storage tape 13 by discharging the tape 11 extracted from the roll body 10 into the interior of the guide frame 50.

The second extracting roller unit 30 has a function for extracting the storage tape 13 discharged into the interior of the guide frame 50 and supplying to a next process such as a rotation cutter 80 as shown in FIG. 3.

The adjustment method of the rotation velocity of the first extracting roller unit 20 and the second extracting roller unit 30 will be described.

(4) Auxiliary Feed Conveyor

The auxiliary feed conveyor 40 applies an auxiliary carrying force to the storage tape 13 in a direction from the first extracting roller unit 20 to the second extracting roller unit 30 for the bottom portion of the loaded storage tape 13 not to be bent.

In this example, an endless belt 43 is wound between the pair of the drums 41, 42 so as to transmit a rotation of the motor 44 which is a drive source to part of the belt 43 or any one of the drums to rotate the belt 43 in a single direction.

The belt 43 may be of single sheet endless belt or a plurality of narrow endless tapes may be disposed in parallel with each interval.

The carrying speed of the auxiliary feed conveyer 40 may be extremely low relative to the feed velocity of the first extracting roller unit 20 or the second extracting roller unit 30.

(5) Guide Frame

The guide frame 50 is a frame body for storing a large amount of the extracted tape 11 (storage tape 13) on the auxiliary feed conveyer 40, which is constructed by disposing a pair of guide plates 51, 51 bent into a substantially U shape on the top of the belt 44 such that they oppose each other.

In the guide frame 50, a narrow introducing slit 52 which restricts the tape 11 from falling down is formed on the side of the first extracting roller unit 20 and a narrow discharge slit 53 which restricts the tape 11 from falling down is formed on the side of the second extracting roller unit 30.

A wide expanding space 54 is formed between the slits 52 and 53. This wide expanding space 54 is a space for storing a large amount of the storage tape 13.

Therefore, the plan shape of the guide frame 50 and the size of the wide expanding space 54 can be selected appropriately corresponding to the environment in which the tape extracting unit is installed.

In the tension adjusting unit in which the tape is wound linearly around a plurality of slide rollers, space between the wound tapes cannot be utilized effectively.

On the contrary, according to the present invention, the tape does not need to be wound linearly around the slide rollers because no conventional slide rollers do not need to be installed. Consequently, all the expanding space 54 within the guide frame 50 can be used effectively as the storage space of the storage tape 13.

Thus, the tape 11 of a necessary length can be stored as the storage tape 13 within the guide frame 50 which is a compact space several tens centimeters square.

In the meantime, although the storage plan shape of the storage tape 13 is represented in the folding manner for convenience for description in the drawing, the actual storage plan shape of the storage tape 13 within the guide frame 50 is of irregular shape.

(6) Sensor

The sensor 60 detects a displacement of a tape position at the most outer end located on the supply side (side of the introducing slit 52 or the side of the first extracting roller unit 20) of the storage tape 13 loaded on the auxiliary feed conveyor 40 and disposed in part of the guide frame 50 near the introducing slit 52 of the guide frame 50 to be directed to the storage tape 1.

As the sensor 60 for detecting the position of the tape, a reflection type photoelectric tube capable of detecting a distance to the storage tape 13 electrically may be used. In addition, for example, a known contact type limit switch may be used.

(7) Control Unit

The first, second extracting roller units 20, 30, the respective motors 21, 31, the motor 44 of the auxiliary feed conveyer 40 and the sensor 60 are connected electrically to the control unit 70.

A program for controlling the rotations of the motors 21, 31 of the first extracting roller unit 20 and the second extracting roller unit 30 individually and a program for controlling the rotation of the motor 44 of the auxiliary feed conveyer 40 are incorporated in the control unit 70.

The control method of the first extracting roller unit 20 and the second extracting roller unit 30 by the control unit 70 will be described.

Assuming that the carrying velocity of the first extracting roller unit 20 is V₁ and the carrying velocity of the second extracting roller unit 30 is V₂, the carrying velocity V₁ on the side of the first extracting roller unit 20 is controlled with reference to the carrying velocity V₂ of the second extracting roller unit 30.

Further, the carrying velocity V₁ of the first extracting roller unit 20 is controlled with a difference in velocity due to slight increase or decrease relative to the carrying velocity V₂ of the second extracting roller unit 30.

If the carrying velocities V₁, V₂ of the first, second extracting roller units 20, 30 are set to the same velocity, not only it is technically difficult to meet a trend of intensifying the operating speed of the machine but also a displacement such as slippage of the tape 11 cannot be absorbed.

Thus, according to the present invention, the length of the storage tape 13 secured within the guide frame 50 is supplied with a play and the difference in velocity between the carrying velocities V₁ and V₂ of the first, second extracting roller units 20, 30 is controlled on the side of the first extracting roller unit 20 so as to complement the increase/decrease of the tape 13.

If the storage amount of the storage tape 13 located within the guide frame 50 is short based on the increase/decrease information of the storage amount of the storage tape 13 by the sensor 60, the rotation velocity V₁ of the first extracting roller 20 is accelerated to increase the supply amount of the tape 11 and if the storage amount of the storage tape 13 is excessive, the rotation velocity V₁ of the first extracting roller unit 20 is decreased. As a consequence, the storage tape 13 to which no tension is applied can be stored continuously within the guide frame 50.

The control method of the respective rotation velocities V₁, V₂ of the first extracting roller unit 20 and second extracting roller unit 30 is just an exemplification, needless to say, other control methods may be applied.

Operation

The operation of the tape extracting unit will be described.

(1) Preliminary Preparation

A beginning end of the tape 11 of the roll body 10 loaded on the rotation table 12 is extracted with the hand and set as follows.

First, the extracted tape is passed between the pair of the rollers 22 and 23 constituting the first extracting roller unit 20 and then, passed through the introducing slit 52 in the guide frame 50 provided on the auxiliary feed conveyer 40, the wide expanding space 54 and the discharge slit 53 in sequence and finally through the pair of the rollers 32, 33 constituting the second extracting roller unit 30 so as to complete the setting of tape 11.

When setting the tape 11, it is recommended to extract the tape 11 by an extra amount into the guide frame 50. Additionally, this setting of the tape 11 can be automatized.

(2) Operation Start

If an instruction from the control unit 70 is received, the first extracting roller unit 20 and the second extracting roller unit 30 start the rotation and at the same time, the auxiliary feed conveyer 40 also starts the rotation.

The first extracting roller unit 20 pulls out the tape 11 from the roll body 10 compulsorily and supplies it continuously into the wide expanding space 54 through the introducing slit 52 in the guide frame 50 provided on the auxiliary feed conveyer 40.

The tape 11 supplied into the wide expanding space 54 makes contact with the inside face of the guide frame 50 and meanders so that it is stored as the storage label 13.

The storage label 13 is carried by the auxiliary feed conveyer 40 keeping the storage condition. The storage label 13 stored within the expanding space 54 in the guide frame 50 is extracted through the discharge slit 53 by the second extracting roller unit 30 and supplied to a rotation cutter unit 80 or the like.

The tape 11 extracted from the roll body 10 by the first extracting roller unit 20 is supplied continuously into the expanding space 54 of the guide frame 50 in a condition in which no tension is applied thereto and stored as the storage tape 13. The storage tape 13 is discharged out of the guide frame 50 by the second extracting roller unit 30 in parallel.

Because the storage tape 13 can be discharged in the condition in which no tension is applied thereto regardless of the carrying velocity by the second extracting roller unit 30, the tape 11 can be carried at high speeds.

Therefore, for example, in the labeling machine, the operating velocity of the machine can be accelerated.

(3) Control of the Storage Amount of the Storage Label

As described above, the sensor 60 always monitors the storage tape stored within the expanding space 54 of the guide frame 50. If it detects shortage of the storage tape 13, the sensor 60 transmits an acceleration signal to the motor 22 of the first extracting roller unit 20 through the control unit 70 so as to increase the supply amount of the tape 11.

On the contrary, if the sensor 60 detects an excessive supply of the storage tape 13, it transmits a deceleration signal to the motor 22 of the first extracting roller unit 20 through the control unit 70 so as to decrease the supply amount of the tape 11.

As described above, the control unit 70 controls the increase/decrease of the tape supply amount by the first extracting roller unit 20 so as to complement the increase/decrease of the storage tape 13 stored within the expanding space 54 of the guide frame 50 based on a detection signal from the sensor 60.

By continuing this operation, the storage tape 13 can be discharged (pulled out) continuously while storing the storage tape 13 to which no tension is applied within the expanding space 54 of the guide frame 50.

In the present invention, the storage tape 13 stored within the expanding space 54 of the guide frame 50 corresponds to the tape wound around the plurality of the slide rollers of the conventional apparatus and the storage amount of the storage tape 13 means the adjustment length.

Although the conventional apparatus always applies tension to the tape wound around the plurality of the slide rollers, the present invention provides an apparatus capable of extracting the storage tape 13 without applying any tension, which is a point completely different from the conventional apparatus.

Additionally, the tape 11 can be stored in the irregular folding manner within the compact expanding space 54 as a large amount of the storage tape 13 so that the space can be used effectively.

Because the narrow discharging slit 53 is formed as an exit at only a single position in the guide frame 50, the storage tape 13 can be discharged smoothly out of the guide frame 50 in however irregular a condition the storage tape 13 is stored within the expanding space 54 of the guide frame 50.

The passage time taken for the storage tape 13 stored within the guide frame 50 to be carried from the first tape extracting unit 20 to the second extracting roller unit 30 can be extended.

The longer the passage time between the first and second extracting roller units 20 and 30 in pair, the more roughly the rotation of the first tape extracting unit 20 can be controlled, which is an advantage and very effective for intensifying the extracting velocity of the tape 11.

That is, the tape 11 needs to be supplied by the first tape extracting unit 20 only by an amount larger than the discharge amount by the second extracting unit 30. Consequently, the discharge of the storage tape 13 by the second extracting roller unit 30 is never hampered.

Thus, in a machine loaded with the tape extracting unit of the present invention, acceleration of the operating velocity exceeding that of the conventional apparatus can be achieved.

Other Embodiment

A static complete surface floor or a floor composed of arranged plates with each gap may be used instead of the above-described auxiliary feed conveyer 40. If the auxiliary feed conveyer 40 is replaced with the complete surface floor or the floor of arranged plates with each gap, it is recommended to apply a low friction sheet on the surface thereof or coat the surface with chemical agent.

It is permissible to use a plurality of rollers instead of the auxiliary feed conveyer 40. Any structure may be used as long as the storage tape 13 surrounded by the guide frame 50 can slide with a small moving resistance.

If the tape extracting unit of the present invention is applied to the labeling machine provided with the two label supply systems I, II shown in FIG. 4, the change-over time of the label supply system can be reduced largely as compared with the conventional apparatus.

Thus, the storage amount of the label affixing objects such as the container is reduced so that the length of the supply line can be reduced, thereby achieving reduction in size of the entire machine and manufacturing cost. 

1. A tape extracting unit disposed at a position in the vicinity of a rotation table loaded with a roll body, comprising: two pairs of first and second extracting roller units whose rotation velocities are capable of being adjusted separately; a guide frame which is disposed between the first and second extracting roller units and forms an expanding space for storing a tape; and a sensor for detecting the storage condition of the tape within the guide frame electrically, wherein the tape pulled out of the roll body is passed through the first extracting roller unit, guide frame and second extracting roller unit in succession and disposed; the tape to which no tension is applied is stored within the expanding space of the guide frame as a storage tape; and the rotations of the first and second extracting roller units are controlled based on a detection signal of the sensor so as to be able to extract the storage tape.
 2. A tape extracting unit disposed at a position in the vicinity of a rotation table loaded with a roll body, comprising: two pairs of first and second extracting roller units whose rotation velocities are capable of being adjusted separately; an auxiliary feed conveyer which is disposed between the first and second extracting roller units and rotates in a single direction from the first extracting roller unit to the second extracting roller unit; a guide frame which is disposed on the auxiliary feed conveyer and forms an expanding space for storing a tape; a sensor for detecting the storage condition of the tape within the guide frame electrically; and a control unit for controlling the rotations of the first and second extracting roller units separately based on a detection signal from the sensor, wherein the tape pulled out of the roll body is passed through the first extracting roller unit, guide frame on the auxiliary feed conveyer and second extracting roller unit in succession and disposed; and the control unit controls the rotations of the first and second extracting roller units separately based on a detection signal from the sensor so as to store a tape to which no tension is applied with the expanding space within the guide frame as a storage tape so that the storage tape is capable of being extracted.
 3. The tape extracting unit according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the first extracting roller unit is disposed in the upstream of the guide frame while the second extracting roller unit is disposed in the downstream of the guide frame and increase/decrease of the rotation velocity of the first extracting roller unit is capable of being controlled with reference to the rotation velocity of the second extracting roller unit.
 4. The tape extracting unit according to claim 1 to 3 wherein the tape to which no tension is applied is stored in irregular folding manner within the expanding space of the guide frame.
 5. The tape extracting unit according to claim 1 to 4 wherein the roll body is a roll label.
 6. The tape extracting unit according to claim 5 wherein the labeling machine includes two label supply systems. 